the kilometer show (day one)

(March 28th)

First stop, San Diego!

I’ve made this drive before for a wine festival I was invited to about a year ago, shoutout Candice. From San Francisco, the drive lasts a little more than 7 hours and from San Jose, it’s about the same. I decided to stay in Downtown San Jose, Monday (the 27th). I ate a place called Joe’s Original, recommended by a bartender at the Hyatt. The Chicken Parmigiana was great. They also had Chianti.

Before I arrived in San Jose, I stopped by a place called Burlingame to drop off my apartment key. The name was familiar to me, but this was my first time in the area. What a quiet and clean town it was. From the streets up to the top of buildings; they were spotless. The Downtown area was superbly square, with each business front offering something completely different than the last. Asian Box has a location there as well, and the customer service was outstanding. Literally everyone greeted me, including staff that were on break. The Taro flavored boba was tasty along with the Pho dish they offer. It wasn’t the greatest Pho, but it did the job. The people in town seemed nice, though I did notice a slight bit of road rage where a senior pedestrian couple stubbornly walked in front of a moving car, which then proceeded to provide them a soundtrack featuring an elongated honking of the horn during their stubble across the street. That was an interesting sight. It sort of added to the comfortability of all. You definitely risk your life walking in front of a moving vehicle in San Francisco, regardless of age.

The next morning, I left at about 4 or 5. The road was pretty simple, but then there was this curvy monstrosity that occurred. I assumed the cars driving in the opposite lane were accustomed to managing that road in the nighttime. I stayed just under the speed limit and imagined waving at the drivers who passed me. The endless, yellowless brick road eventually brought me to Interstate 5. It twas a solid smash South! Los Angeles was a drag. A major car accident made my Google Maps app reroute through a super nice suburb called Temecula. Housing communities on hills.

I passed out when I made it to the hotel. I woke up a hour and a half later and checked out the Sunset Cliffs for some aerial photography. I later visited Belmont Park for more footage and concluded after the mission was accomplished. I had Juan Tequila for dinner: the Juan Cali Burrito was great for $17. It could’ve been hotter, but it worked out in the end.

- raphael